SUGAR MAMA

At the behest of Creative Time Kara E. Walker has confected:

or the Marvelous Sugar Baby
an Homage to the unpaid and overworked Artisans who have refined our Sweet tastes from the cane fields to the Kitchens of the New World on the Occasion of the demolition of the Domino Sugar Refining Plant

Did you know there's a giant sphinx made out of sugar currently residing in an abandoned Domino Sugar factory in Brooklyn?  Not only is there a behemoth of a lady sphinx, but she is accompanied by a gaggle of children made out of molasses.  The entire experience is quite overwhelming, from the damp, expansive space to the ultra sweet smell that permeates your nostrils upon arrival.  Never one to really sugarcoat the issue, Walker's work over the past 20 years deals with themes of race and culture, and her overtly sexual, graphic, and suruprisingly lovely silhouettes have become ubiquitous with the relationship between art and cultural identity in our age.  This, her first large scale public project overwhelms both in its sense of scale, and also for its surprising relationship to her earlier work & development of the themes therein.  See the last time I wore my Kara Walker dress here.

Dress:  Jill Stuart

Sandals: Sam Edelman

A Subtlety is on view in Brooklyn until July 6, 2014.

Photos of me by Kathy Paciello; all other photos by me.

COCO CHANEL + JOAN MIRO

You may wonder what these two individuals have in common; one a legendary fashion designer and icon, and the other a Surrealist artist.  Apart from their fame, both worked directly with Russian ballet impresario Sergei Diaghilev.  Founder of the Ballets Russes, Diaghilev recruited artists to work with him on all aspects of his ballets, from the set design to the choreography, to the costumes. In addition to Miró and Chanel, Diaghilev also worked with Pablo Picasso, Igor Stravinsky, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, and Jean Cocteau; this group reads like a list of who's who in the culture of late 19th and early 20th century France.  Click here to read more info about Diaghilev's artist collaborations.

The vintage skirt I'm wearing in this post features a Miró print which corresponds directly to some of his Surrealist paintings of the time period.  The Chanel shoes are a new addition to my collection and help to round out the subtle nod to Diaghilev's genius through a modern outfit that stands for more than the sum of its parts.

Skirt: Vintage, Uncommon Objects in Austin, Texas

Crop Top: Vintage, Beacon's Closet in Brooklyn, New York

Leather Block-Heel Shoes: Chanel

Clutch: Felix Rey

Bangles: Roberta Roller Rabbit

Photos by Kathy Paciello; Miró images from wikiart.org and pavlinachakarova.com.

PSYCHEDELIC CLOUDS

As a child, I was fascinated by the pulsing colors and spectra of works by Peter Max.  Born in 1937, Max created colorful illustrations throughout his entire life across all media, and in partnership with many large companies, such as the USPS and 7-Up, which made him a cultural phenomenon.  He is most notable for his psychedelic landscapes with jubilant figures that seem to characterize the "Cosmic Sixties".  Max still lives and works in New York City, and his work remains a source of inspiration for me, both in the color palettes and compositions which recall one of my favorite decades in fashion and in art.

Dress: L'Amour by Nanette Lepore

Shoes: Kelsi Dagger

Bag: Rebecca Minkoff 

[Photos by Kathy Paciello; Max images from pri.org, blogs.sun-sentinel.com.]

KARL MAUGHAN FLORAL

It's difficult not to feel inspired when the flora and fauna outside are finally in full bloom and bursting with color.  New Zealand-based artist Karl Maughan finds inspiration in the gardens surrounding him, both real and fabricated.  Maughan started out working en plein air in New Zealand, but when he relocated to London he no longer had lush gardens at his disposal from which to work year-round.  He began cataloguing gardens via photos which he now uses as inspiration.  He pulls bits and pieces of the very best and brightest, splicing them together in his paintings which are simultaneously idyllic and empty.

I've been on the hunt for one of the pieces of Maughan's collaboration collection with the Stolen Girlfriends Club to no avail.  This vintage jumpsuit, however, is a pretty close match!

Jumpsuit: vintage, Held Over in San Francisco

Leather sandals: Belle by Sigerson Morrison Abra Block-Heel Sandal

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Leather belt: Roberta Freymann

Photos by Jayne Clark at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Maughan images from gowlangsfordgallery.co.nz, ocula.com, odt.co.nz, tulsisays.blogspot.com. 

MAYA HAYUK: Bowery Mural

I first came across Maya Hayuk's work through a Google search for "neon art" about 5 years ago.  I was immediately transfixed by the in-your-face colors and exuberant designs, and have grown to love and appreciate her work even more as I've watched her murals pop up here and there all over the globe.  I was overjoyed when I read that she would be taking over The Bowery Mural this spring and set to work on a new piece of wearable art inspired by Hayuk's wall.

Hayuk's work catches your eye first with a bold, bright statement and then draws you in when you notice the handwork and symmetry of the piece.  Having traveled extensively, Hayuk has a wealth of visual experiences from which to draw, and her work is described as being related to "views of outer space, traditional Ukrainian crafts, airbrushed manicures, and mandalas."  Each piece solves a different problem, and Hayuk describes her process as being dictated by the site and the materials more than anything.

When I start a wall, I look at everything around it first. What else is visible in the space and what are the different vantage point like? How does the light change? How high up can I get and where will my painting end? In other words, how can I make the piece part of the wall rather than something stuck on the wall.

My goal in making this dress was to become a piece of the wall myself.  It was a work in progress until I discovered via the artist's Facebook page that the wall was scheduled to be whitewashed later that afternoon.  With the paint still wet and dripping down my legs, I hopped on the train with a supportive friend and rushed into the city to snap some photos. Luckily, we made it just in time before the mural was covered for good.  Viva Maya!

Dress: DIY by me

Necklace: kayellepea

Shoes: United Nude

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Photos by Hannah Kauffman, below process photo by me.

RAINY SUNDAY AT THE MET

As evidenced here, there are few things I adore more than spending a rainy afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Although the roof closed shortly after my arrival, I enjoyed exploring new areas of a museum I've been to many, many times.

I discovered the Antonio Ratti Textile Center and Reference Library while searching for a tiny exhibition of William Morris (1834-1896) textiles and wallpaper which was just outside.  An extremely well-known British decorative artist, Morris created beautiful undulating designs that possess a timelessness which makes them seem more modern than their era.

And speaking of timelessness, I caught sight of Anna Wintour on her way out; presumably giving last-minute approvals for last night's Costume Institute Gala.  Perfect Sunday.

Blouse: Tracy Reese

Silk Skirt: Vintage

Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo

Photos of me by Meri Feir; Met roof photo by me.

JOURNEY OF A DRESS

I've long considered Diane von Furstenberg a role model, and an exhibition currently on view in Los Angeles establishes her as even more: a national treasure.  Including an extensive collection of artwork featuring her designs and Diane herself, Journey of a Dress also showcases the history of her timeless wrap dresses, which debuted in 1974 and completely changed the womenswear industry with the mantra "Feel like a woman, wear a dress!"  Diane is not only a fashion mainstay, but is also dedicated to several philanthropic causes and a fixture in the New York social scene.  Ms. Furstenberg continues to inspire me with both a desire to succeed and to give back, and with a lust for more of her flattering, feminine designs.

See another DVF wrap dress, featured lovingly on my blog last year.

The Journey of a Dress exhibition closes today, but you can find more information about it here.

Dress: Diane von Furstenberg Andy Warhol collection

Shoes: Belle by Sigerson Morrison Abra

Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs

Photos by Jayne Clark.